No to total gun ban - Noynoy

MANILA, Philippines - President-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said yesterday that he was not in favor of the imposition of a total gun ban in the country because it might not be the answer to the crime situation.

Aquino, a gun enthusiast, had said in various interviews that he would like to have the empirical data not just from the Philippines but other countries as well to see whether a total gun ban was an effective tool to combat crime.

He said the country only has 250,000 security forces to protect some 100 million Filipinos, noting that the population doubled from 50 million in 1986.

Given this situation, Aquino said the response time – now covering bigger area and larger population – would be much slower.

He also said he was not inclined to support total gun ban because the records showed that crimes related to licensed firearms comprised only one percent.

“The proposal is to come up with a law to control the behavior of the outlaws. By definition, the outlaw is beyond the law, not to live within the law, so I don’t (see) the logic of a law controlling the behavior of somebody who does not follow the law,” Aquino said, promising to review studies in other countries to see if the liberalization of the law allowing people to carry firearms indeed causes an increase in crime incidents.

Aquino said it would be better to consider proposals for stricter enforcement of laws banning the carrying of firearms outside of residences.

He added that people applying for permits to own guns should be made to attend seminars before being granted the privilege to bring their weapons outside their homes.

“Gun ban is a law that says you cannot bring your firearm outside your residence. Who will follow that? People who are law-abiding. Who are the targets of the criminals?”

He said that if laws are rigidly enforced, good police work can solve crimes committed by outlaws.

To ban or not to ban

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, on the other hand, said he is supporting a stricter gun ban on the streets as a measure to ensure peace.

He also batted for a total ban on gun sales.

“Stricter gun ban on streets needed, not compulsory sex education in schools,” he said.

He said only the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should be allowed to carry firearms.

Pimentel made the statement after the PNP pushed for a permanent total gun ban, noting a marked decline in the crime rate since its implementation on Jan. 10.

The PNP revealed that about 3,000 people, including 200 government employees, have been arrested since the Commission on Elections ordered the ban from Jan. 10 to June 9.

The Gunless Society of the Philippines stressed that it has nothing against responsible gun owners but stressed it is against the carrying of guns in public places.

The Peaceful, Responsible Owners of Guns (Progun), meanwhile, said it would be impractical and unrealistic to push for a total gun ban.

Meanwhile, Malacañang directed PNP Director Gen. Jesus Versoza to make sure that all sides are heard and all opinions are weighed before coming up with a final decision on whether to lift or not the total gun ban next week.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, who once served as PNP chief, issued the statement as various organizations, including lawyers’ and judges’ groups, pressed Versoza to lift the total gun ban as scheduled.

The directive also came on the eve of a summit organized by Versoza to discuss whether to lift the ban or not.

“In the summit, we expect the pros and cons to be heard,” Mendoza said. “In my experience, the issue is really equally divided on both sides. The decision is not easy to make.”

He, however, said that there is merit in the argument of legal gun owners that a total ban would only benefit criminals who do not care about regulations.

A newly formed multi-sectoral group on Tuesday expressed strong opposition and threatened to file a lawsuit against the PNP in case it insists on extending the implementation of the gun ban beyond June 9.

“We are not only fighting to allow us to carry our firearms but to protect our lives,” said lawyer Banjo Navarro III, A2S5 Coalition interim spokesman. – Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero